Shaft lubrication



SHAFT LUBRICATION Filed April 3. 1928 ,l ,mail /2\\" Figz.

Patented Jan. 6,v 1931 PATENTv OFFICE:

UNITED sTATEs CARL A. "J'OIEINI'SON', 0F EVANSTON, ILLINOISQASSIGNOR T0 GENERAL MOTORS CORPORA- hereinafter described and claimed.

' having Ithreaded studs 22,

TION, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN',

A CORPORATION or' DELAWARE snAr'r LuBmcArIoN Application fled April 3,

This invention relates to shaft lubrication and comprisesr all the features of novelty herein disclosed in connection `with a railway journal box and axle. An object of the invention is to provide improved means for causing the delivery of adequate lubricant to shaft bearings and for causing a constant circulation. Another object is to provide an improved thrust block and lubricating means therefor. Another object is to provide an improved force feed lubricating device actuated by the shaft to be lubricated. To these ends and to improve generally and in detail upon devices. of the character indicated, the invention also consists in the various matters The invention, in its broader aspects, is not necessarily limited to the specific construction selected for illustrative purposes in the ac-V companying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of an axle box on line I--I of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line I I-II of Fig. 1 with, the thrust block and retaining ring removed.

The numeral 4 indicates a shaft or axle a reduced cylindrical portion/6 receiving a sleeve 8, roller bearings' 10 having end rings 12 being interposed `between the sleeve and a lining 14 pressed into the bore of an axle box or casing 16. The end of the box or casing has an out-turned flange 18 to which and end cap 20 is attached by nuts and the studs being threaded inthe .flange 18 and welded thereto as indi- -cated at 24. The end caphas a lug 26 extending inwardly between spaced lugs 28 on'the outside of a retaining ring 30 to hold the rmg from turning. The ring has a square opening 32 for the square portion of a bronze thrust block m84 and spacing plates 36, the block and plates beingclamped against the end cap by a stud 38 and nut 40. The stud has square collars 42 around which the thrust block is cast to hold the stud from turmng. The thurst block has a rounded recess or groove 44 at the to side from which an unobstructed internal uct or passage 46 leads to a central openingor passa e 48V in the block. The blockv has an annu ar thrust' face 50 oil fromvthe bearings. The oil is 192s. smal' in. ceases.

conica surface '58 extendin vround about the v opposing faces of the sha and the thrust block. The conical surface slopes ldownwardly towards the thrust block and directs some of the oil thro vn oi'centrifugally by the axle to the recess or groove 44 which isof larger area than the assage 46 to collect oil from a larger area o the conical surface and drain 1t into the-passages 46 and 48 to lubricate the lend of theaxle when the latter shifts endwise to meet the thrust surface 50. Oil is. admitted through a hollow boss in the end cap tol a reservoir 62 in the box, the reservoir being partitioned olf from the end of the axle and its bearings and from the thrust block by the retaining ring. The level of oil is-high lenough toenter the cored Vout return passages 64, a recess 66 at the inner or rear end o axle box inside the flange 68 receivin used -lied to the bearings and to the thrust facesas will now ap ar.

The ox has a boss 70 just to one side .of its longitudinal ing 72 receiving thethreaded portion of a hollow bolt lor housing 74, the hexagonal head 76 of the bolt engaging a washer 78 rinterposed between it and a oss 80 on the outside of the box. The hollow bolt or housing has a side port 82 arranged to adymit oil from the reservoir to its bore 84 which also contains aycoil spring 86. The

er 88 to a lposition where vthe lower end of f the center with a threaded openv the plunger vuncovers .the Vport 82. The plunger. has a central bore or passage 90 with radial branch ports 92 near the upper Verid,`the upper end ofthe plunger bearing against the outer eccentric surface of a sleeve or cam v94 which fits a reduced cylindrical portion 96 yof the axle. The eccentric sleeve is heldon the axle by a split ring 98 f radial Orts 92 drains through a notch 102 in the ange 57 into the bearings and works inwardly through the bearings to the recess 66, thus in the central bore 90 lubricates the contact reservoir,

4the, central openino' to its of the plunger with the eccentric sleeve and supplies oil to the sleeve, the oil being thrown ofi' centrifugally from the sleeve and some working down the conical surface 57 to the thrust block as above explained and the Vrest draining to the bearings.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a casing, a shaft journalled for rotation in the casing, the casing carrying a thrust block at the end of the shaft and having a means for partitioning off the end of the shaft and the thrust block from the reservoir, and a pump actuated by the rotae tion of the shaft for forcing lubricant from y the reservoir through the partitioning means to the shaft, the partitioning means having inclined surfaces for directing lubricant, f

thrown off from the shaft, to both the jour- `nal bearing and the thrust block; substantially as described. s

2. In a device of the character described a casing, a shaftjournalled for rotation in the casing, the casing having a reservoir, a thrust block carried by the casing and having a thrust face with an unobstructed passage leading therefrom to the top portion of the block, means for partitioning olf the end of the shaft and its bearing from the reservoir, a cam member on the shaft, a pump actuated by thev cam member for forcing lubricant from the reservoir through the partitioning means to the cam member, the partitioning means having steep conical surfaces to direct lubricant, thrown off by the cam member, to both the journal bearing and the passage in the thrust block; substantially as described.

3. In a device of the character described, a casing, a shaft journalled for rotation in the casmg, a thrust block carried by the casing, the block having a central opening and a thrust face outside the o ening to oppose the end of the shaft, the Iblock having an unobstructed internal duct leadjn uppersi e, the

upper side of the block having a recess of larger area than the duct and draining into it, and means for directing lubricant to the recess; subst-antiall as described. E

-4. a deviceofy the character described, a casing, a shaft journalled for rotation in the. casin a thrust block carried bv the casmg an opposing the end of the shaft, the

having a constant circulation. Oil

block having unobstructed internal lubricant passages leading from its top portion to its thrust face, and a ring surrounding the thrust block and having a steep conical surface for directing lubricant, thrown from the shaft, to the open end of the passage at the top portion of the block; substantially as described.

5. In a device of the character described, a casing, a shaft journalled for rotation in the casing, a thrust block carried by the casing and opposing the end of the shaft, the bloc having unobstructed internal lubricant passages leading from its top portion to its thrust face, the casing having a lubricant reservoir, an eccentric near the end of the shaft, a the opposing faces of the thrust block and the shaft and-having a steep conical surface for directing lubricant, thrown from the eccentric, to the top portion of the block, and means for forcing lubricant from the reservoir to the eccentric; substantially as described.

6. In a device of the character described, a casing having .a reservoir, a Vshaft journalled for rotation in the casing, a thrust block carried by the casing and having a thrust ace opposed to the end of the shaft, a cam member on the shaft a pump actuated by the cam member for forcing lubricant from the reservoir to the cam member, and a casing member having a surface extending about the op osing faces of the block and the shaft andpslopmg downwardly towards the block for directing lubricant thrown olf by the cam member to the -thrust block; substantially as described.

7. In a device of the character described, a casing having a reservoir, 'a shaft journalled for rotation inthe casin a thrust block carried yby the casing an having a thrust face opposed to the end of the shaft, a ump actuated vby the rotation of the sha t for forcing lubricant from the reservoir to the shaft, and' a casing member having a surface extending about the opposing faces of the block and the shaft and sloping downwardly towards the block for directing lubricant thrown off by the shaft to the thrust block; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aix my rmg surrounding the eccentric and 

